Thoughts to Ponder

Issue 2/28/07

Well, it is hard to believe that March is only a day away. Spring will
be upon us soon. I know I could use some sunshine and warm weather. I
hope this Thoughts to Ponder finds you healthy. We have had a round of
flu bug going through Columbia for the past few weeks. It has been
pretty rough on some. I have, for the most part, escaped it
thankfully.

Today, I wanted to give you a few updates and
reminders. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Also if you have any good news to share, we love to hear that as well.

Performance Evaluation Input Needed--DUE MARCH
2

It is hard to believe that performance
evaluations are coming around again. This year the campus faculty
agreed to seek input from the regional faculty and their peers in
other agencies in a different manner. As you know, we have utilized
Survey Monkey. You may give input on as many faculty members as you
wish. I would encourage you to go in and give us feedback. We cannot
strengthen the positives or correct the negatives without feedback
from you. I feel the peer input process is vital to a strong
performance evaluation process. Please take time to give your thoughts
on those you have worked with this past year. It is a rather
straightforward process and should not take more than 5-10 minutes to
give feedback on a faculty member.

If you have misplaced the email that has the
URLs, please contact Sue Andrews in my office.

Named Programs & Reporting

Well, as you all know, we have been working to
implement a new reporting system. I will again reiterate that this
initial year is a learning opportunity for all of us. On Monday, the
RDs and PDs are having their first working retreat of the new year and
this topic is high on our agenda. We hope to streamline the system for
2008. We have heard much feedback--both positive and negative--now we
need to determine how we can assist specialists in utilizing the
system more efficiently. Also how can our system pose less of a time
burden on you.

At Annual Conference, we will address the
reporting system and Named Programs for 2008. Candy and I along with
the campus specialists are reviewing the Named Program list. We will
be adding those programs that we feel need to be included or that were
inadvertently excluded last year. We will provide you with a short
summary of what each program is, how it should be reported (by session
or series), and also how to enter programs that are not on the list.

Our goal is to create a system that burdens
you less and gives us better impact data. The RDs and PDs will
continue to focus on this during the spring. I believe we have created
a good system, now we just have to tweak it to best fit our needs. For
now, do not panic over the system. I strongly believe that we have to
work together in this first year. I believe that we must communicate
via multiple methods to ensure we know our program impacts. Continue
to utilize the system per your RDs instructions and we will continue
to move ahead.

HES Week Luncheon--RSVP DUE MARCH 5

If any of you wish to attend the HES Week
Luncheon, March 12, at the Reynold's Alumni Center, HES Extension will
pay for your meal ticket. I wish I could afford to pay all of your
travel, but I cannot. I hope that some of you may take advantage and
come in for Legislative Day events early. We would love to have each
of you here.

Legislative Day

Again for the third year, the College of HES
and HES Extension will have a combined booth. We will continue to
focus, as is the campus, on our impact on economic development. We
have printed a new Better Living for Missourians brochure. Please stop
by the booth and join us. Also if you need information to share with
your legislator, please do not hesitate to ask.

Annual Conference

Let me first thank Vicki Foley and Candy Gabel
for working hard to coordinate all of our program efforts. I am
sitting on the overall conference committee, however, these two ladies
are doing a wonderful job working with the conference office to
coordinate the HES program. I think we have a very full 3 day session,
but one that will definitely have many things that will positively
impact your work. If you have any questions or need special
accommodations, please do not hesitate to ask.

Vanguard Magazine

I do not know how many of you receive the
College's Vanguard magazine, but it is an annual publication of
College events and accomplishments. It is similar to the former Impact
publication that Barb Froke used to publish for HES Extension. It has
been my desire that HES Extension have a nice professional piece
produced annually. Dean Jorgenson and I have met from time to time to
discuss possibilities. We have agreed that we will work together to
publish the Vanguard and showcase all of the College
faculty--research, teaching, and Extension. I think this has great
potential. You will each receive the new publication this fall. It is
usually published in September. It is a four-color magazine that I
hope you will distribute proudly in your local areas.

A Busy Spring

Well, spring is a time of rebirth and growth.
I think it is a time of renewed energy. I have tried to continue
building an energy for HES Extension programs. It has been a very busy
two months, but I believe one that will pay us great dividends. Our
programs continue to gain momentum. I feel that we have a good
reputation with our state, federal, and private funding agencies. Our
programs and faculty are gaining recognition for their work. I see
many programs continuing to grow and flourish. This makes me so proud
to be in my position. I continue to tell folks that I do have one of
the greatest jobs a person could have.

As I did in the fall, I would like to share
with you some of the places I have traveled or groups I have met with
this past two months and what is on the calendar for March. If you
have any questions, please again do not hesitate to ask. I do not have
any open regional travel dates scheduled or planned for April and May,
but hope to be back on the road as of June. April and May are quite
full with Performance Evaluations at other events, so I won't be on
the road visiting counties as much.

February 1--Meet with Dean Jorgensen
February 1--Meet with Dave Baker--Healthy Lifestyles Promotion
February 2--Vanguard magazine meeting
February 6--Meet with Laura Schopp--UM System Faculty & Staff
Wellness Plan
February 6--Meet with Cynthia Crawford @ Marshall
February 7--HES Founder's Day Celebration
February 12--Meet with Dr. Ouart
February 13--PLC
February 14--Meeting with Development Officers
February 15--Lunch with new FNEP employees
February 16--Guest lecture @ Hickman High School
February 18-20--NASULGC Board on Human Sciences/Council of
Administrators for Family & Consumer Sciences Meeting @ DC
February 21-22--Association of State Nutrition Networks Meeting @
Denver
February 26--HHS Grant Meeting